Ensuring Connectivity & Privacy on the Road
There’s a high degree of uncertainty to having an office that always moves, from the basics of the ergonomics of your new desk to the more critical things like, how reliable is the Wi-Fi.
A lot of that is a common-sense game and something I’ll cover in another post, but what happens when the unavoidable happens—a blackout, or the internet is about as quick as a slug that’s just taken a bath in a pint of beer?
Assessing & Preparing for Connectivity Risks
The most common challenge a nomad is going to face is shitty Wi-Fi, usually a combination of mismatched networks that your laptop bounces between at varying times of the day. One network might be alright in the morning, but it goes tits up in the afternoon, so you keep having to jump between Crap_WiFi_1, Crap_Wifi_Terrace, and Crap_WiFi_2nd_floor.
Beyond your typical technical difficulties, you’ll also need to be prepared for full-on blackouts—ain’t nobody reconnecting when that happens.
But, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and with that in mind, these are the things that I do when finding a new spot:
- If it’s an Airbnb, I use the search function in the reviews and search for wifi/wi-fi/internet/speed/fast/power and review the reviews that match each of those words individually. Note that when you use the search function in reviews, Airbnb’s translation switches off. So for example, if you’re looking at Airbnbs in Mexico City, there’s a high chance there’s a lot of Spanish reviews too. Search for: velocidad (speed), rápido (fast), lento (slow), potente (powerful), señal (signal), conexión (connection) and descarga (download).
- For any online bookings, filter by 9/10 or 4.5/5 and above. Unfortunately, Airbnb’s reviews are always skewed higher than the likes of hotels, I guess people feel bad about leaving bad reviews about people’s homes.
- I’ll also exclusively read the worst reviews and check for patterns. Bad reviews aren’t a problem, but patterns in bad reviews are.
- You can email and ask for a screenshot from Fast.com as an insurance policy but don’t rely on it solely. Sometimes the internet speed is actually included in the Airbnb listing (listed under “Amenities”), which will give you a bit more clout if there’s an issue.
- If I’m going to a completely new country, then I will review reports of infrastructure on Reddit and see if I can find Facebook groups. China, for example, is practically a firewalled country, and that requires a whole new level of preparedness.
- Lastly the Chrome extension “Roamer” is a useful little tool too.
Hopefully, this should give you a decent level of information to let you know what you’re walking into, but, you’re probably reading this because either you’ve had an issue or you want to prevent one, and here are some of the best redundancy processes to put into place. ‘Cos, ya know, you can’t ask ChatGPT for help if your internet just died.
Dealing with Bad Internet
So… it’s happened, you’re in your accommodation and the internet is dire. But, before you can do anything you need to diagnose the issue. Now, the simplest thing would be to go and speak to somebody in charge and see if they can help, but the amount of shrugs you’ll get with this route is unbelievable.
There are three points of failure: your device, the local network, or the ISP. So, let’s start with ruling out your device:
Step 1: Check if it’s your device
Before blaming the network, rule out issues with your own setup.
Test another device
Try connecting to the same network with another device, yours or somebody else’s. No problem? It’s you.
If nothing works, it’s probably either the local network (Step 2) or the ISP (Step 3).
Restart your device
I know, I know, the classic, but restarting can fix a whole host of problems. Also, especially on Windows devices, run the update service – honestly, this fixes so many problems.
Check if the problem is Wi-Fi or your whole device
Do you have an option to connect over a wired connection with an Ethernet cable? If the wired connection works, it could still be your device or the router, but likely a clash of wireless technologies. Or, more often than not, something much simpler.
Flush DNS cache
Run the following in Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac):
Windows: ipconfig /flushdns Mac: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
Disable and re-enable Wi-Fi adapter
On Windows you can switch Wi-Fi off and on, but for something more thorough: Open Device Manager → Network Adapters → Disable your Wi-Fi adapter, wait 30 seconds and then re-enable.
On a Mac you can turn Wi-Fi off and on by navigating to System Preferences → Network.
And last but not least, let’s just double check it’s not just the website you’re trying to connect to, right? Try navigating to downforeveryoneorjustme.com , if that loads then yeah, it’s the website you’re trying to access. Pop the address and hit search, the other issue might be that your device can’t connect to that website (ever tried doing online banking in the UK from anywhere outside of Europe? Yeah…)
Are you on a VPN?
Switch if off momentarily to see if it’s causing issues – even the best VPNs are temperamental at the best of times. If it is your VPN, switch to another server or a simple reconnect to the same server could solve it.
Still having problems? Let’s move on…
Step 2: Check the local network
If you’re pretty certain you’ve ruled out that it’s not your device, let’s see if it’s the local network
Run a basic speed test
- Head to Speedtest.net and Fast.com, you’ll want to run a test on both for comparison. You’re checking for two things here:
- Speed: How fast your download and upload speeds are. Ideally, you want at least 10 Mbps upload and download for video calls.
Latency: Also called “ping”, measured in milliseconds. The lower, the better. Over 100ms and you’ll start to notice lag on video calls.
If the speeds are fine but the latency is dreadful, you might still struggle with real-time work like calls.
Is it throttling or just slow?
Some networks deliberately throttle heavy users (hello, streaming a 4K film whilst someone tries to upload a 100MB work file). If your connection is good early morning or late at night but awful during the day, it is probably congestion or throttling. It could be at an ISP level or something more local at a network. Always worth flagging with your host/landlord to see. But if you do notice a pattern, schedule your calls or intense network duties, accordingly.
Is it packet loss?
If you feel that your internet is “stop-start” even if the speed test is looking promising, you could be experiencing packet loss. You can check this by opening Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac) and running:
ping 8.8.8.8
If packets are being lost (e.g., “Request timed out” or high % packet loss), the network is struggling more deeply.
Ethernet, Adapters, and Hardware
If the wi-fi is terrible but a wired connection is available, always plug in. No matter how far we advance as a species; wi-fi (and separately, printers) will remain a complex mystery to many. Ethernet will always give you:
- Lower latency (better for calls and gaming)
- More stable speeds
- Immunity to interference (walls, other networks etc)
What you’ll need in your carry-on:
- USB-C to Ethernet adapter. Most modern laptops won’t have an ethernet port these days.
- Retractable ethernet cable, for saving space in your carry on.
Change your DNS settings
Switching to a custom DNS like Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) can sometimes speed things up and help with security. Here’s how to change DNS settings.
Update network drivers
Especially if your laptop is acting strangely with Wi-Fi connections, keeping your network drivers updated can quietly fix loads of hidden bugs. Windows update usually covers this, but you can manually check through Device Manager → Network Adapters.
Mobile Hotspots & SIM Cards
When Wi-Fi lets you down completely, mobile data saves the day. Now, I will be very, very clear. I think eSIMs are the second-biggest con (after SafetyWing) that you’ll experience as a nomad. There are three things you should avoid as a nomad:
- eSIMs
- SafetyWing
- Wise
And if you have to ask, then you’re not ready to hit the road just yet.
I would say the only exception for an eSIM is buying the cheapest option that gives you 1GB of data to cover you until you can make it to a shop to get a local option. eSIMs simply resell local data to you at a hideous markup, it’s often throttled and it’s almost always on the shittest network, you won’t get any signal outside of a main city centre.
Mobile hotspot vs. phone tethering
Mobile hotspot (dedicated device): More reliable for multiple devices, often with better antennas and longer battery life.
Phone tethering: Fine for short sessions, but drains your phone battery fast and can overheat your device. Note that some networks also strictly disallow this, it’s rare, but always double check.
Best global eSIM providers for digital nomads:
If you absolutely have to get an eSIM then your best options are:
MobiMatter: This is the best of the bad bunch. MobiMatter is like Amazon for eSIMs and has all of the main options. You’re unlikely to find a better deal elsewhere and they also offer cashback. Either as a discount (3%) or as credit (10%) for future purchases.
Airalo and Holafly: It’s rare you’ll find a better deal on these two, but always worth looking.
Check if your phone supports eSIM
Basically anything in the last five years should support eSIMs but always double-check before heading out, you don’t want to be stuck with no signal.
Getting local SIMs fast
Airport kiosks: Most major airports will have a kiosk selling local SIMs with bundles. They’re legit, but you can guarantee they’re 5x the price of what you’ll pay in a shop.
Convenience stores: Cheaper, sometimes more convenient, but language barrier can definitely be a problem. I’d only use them for topping-up, not for buying a fresh SIM.
Mobile carrier shops: This is always my first port of call in a new city. You’ll get the best deals and the best service. Also, helpful if you need to register ID for activation (some countries like Mexico and Thailand sometimes require this).
APN settings
Your SIM should work immediately, but often you need to manually input APN (Access Point Name) settings to get the best speeds. These are usually provided by the carrier at purchase or can be found online. At the time of buying the SIM, ask the seller if it needs to be activated before you walk off.
Wrapping up
At the end of the day, staying connected as a digital nomad is all about layering your defences. Wi-Fi might be your first line, but mobile data, Ethernet cables, travel routers, and a bit of know-how are your insurance policies when it inevitably goes wrong. It does not take much to build a lightweight, reliable setup that will keep you working (and sane) no matter what the local network throws at you. A little preparation upfront will save you a lot of stress later, because nothing kills a good workday quicker than chasing Wi-Fi signals around a dodgy Airbnb with your laptop held over your head.
